Child support payments - when do they stop

Pat38493

Can I ask exactly when I can or should stop making child support payments to my ex?

I think it is when your child finished full time education at 18, but when exactly am I allowed to stop them?  Is it as soon as they have took their A levels and stopped going to school, or is it after the official end of last school term, or is it the beginning of following year, or is it the second they turned 18?

Also am I supposed to mandatorily continue those payments if they go to University - I think not from a few points I read online?  

Probably I would use the same money to help at Univserity costs but I'm just wanting to know what is my mandatory obligation.

tightauldgit

Pat38493 said:

Can I ask exactly when I can or should stop making child support payments to my ex?

I think it is when your child finished full time education at 18, but when exactly am I allowed to stop them?  Is it as soon as they have took their A levels and stopped going to school, or is it after the official end of last school term, or is it the beginning of following year, or is it the second they turned 18?

Also am I supposed to mandatorily continue those payments if they go to University - I think not from a few points I read online?  

Probably I would use the same money to help at Univserity costs but I'm just wanting to know what is my mandatory obligation.

It's until 16 or 20 if they are in approved full-time education - University doesn't count as approved full-time education for the purposes of child maintenance so no, you don't have to pay if they are attending uni. 

The end point should be whenever they officially leave full-time education, so if they are still registered with the school until the end of term then that would be the point to trigger the end of payments I believe. 

I'm not sure if payments end immediately or whether it's at the next set review point but I guess you should inform CMS the child has left FTE and let them sort it out. 

Spendless

It's the end of August/beginning of September after they've taken A levels that summer. So if they've just sat them then it's later this year. I believe it's in line with when Child benefit is paid to. I've seen posts before that say that CB ends on 1st September but I don't think that's 100% accurate as I saw a letter from them last year for my daughter saying it ended on the last (named a day of the week) in September. I can't quite remember exactly but maybe the first Monday in September.   

Usually you don't pay maintenance once they go to Uni. If you wish to do so then that's entirely your decision. Your child will receive a maintenance loan that is based on the household income of the parent/s and partner/s  where they live. Eg if they live with a low earning parent they will receive more loan. If they live with low earning parent who has remarried/co-habits then both of those wages will be taken into account. 

ZaSa1418

Pat38493 said:

Can I ask exactly when I can or should stop making child support payments to my ex?

I think it is when your child finished full time education at 18, but when exactly am I allowed to stop them?  Is it as soon as they have took their A levels and stopped going to school, or is it after the official end of last school term, or is it the beginning of following year, or is it the second they turned 18?

Also am I supposed to mandatorily continue those payments if they go to University - I think not from a few points I read online?  

Probably I would use the same money to help at Univserity costs but I'm just wanting to know what is my mandatory obligation.

Technically it depends on when the child benefit ends. This will be the 31st August if your child sits their A-levels and that will be the same day your maintenance case would close

kurich

You must contact the appropriate authorities.

JJWSJS8700

A uni student can take their parents (plural) to court to claim child maintenance.

Benefits finish July if finished with full time non advanced education, but can, if registered with the careers service, claim all child related benefits benefits including child maintenance, continue for a further 5 mths.

if starting uni they stop immediately.

Spendless

JJWSJS8700 said:

A uni student can take their parents (plural) to court to claim child maintenance.

Benefits finish July if finished with full time non advanced education, but can, if registered with the careers service, claim all child related benefits benefits including child maintenance, continue for a further 5 mths.

if starting uni they stop immediately.

Child benefit doesn't end in July. 

When approved education or training ends

When your child leaves approved education or training, payments will stop at the end of February, 31 May, 31 August or 30 November (whichever comes first).

From 
https://www.gov.uk/child-benefit-16-19

mikejassss

I think we can stop when the child is 18 years old or has joined the job.

Let children adapt to society as soon as possible.

poppy12345

mikejassss said:

I think we can stop when the child is 18 years old

Not if the young person is still in full time non advanced education. Lots of young people continue with their education after the age of 18.

stevelogan

JJWSJS8700 said:

A uni student can take their parents (plural) to court to claim child maintenance.

Benefits finish July if finished with full time non advanced education, but can, if registered with the careers service, claim all child related benefits benefits including child maintenance, continue for a further 5 mths.

if starting uni they stop immediately.

Wow. I never heard of that. Good to know

maisie_cat

JJWSJS8700 said:

A uni student can take their parents (plural) to court to claim child maintenance.

Is that England/Wales as well as Scotland?